"revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face"

[desastreuse]

No: HPFGUIDX 135464

Leslie writes:

> Then, she would have shown Snape gloating before or after he 
> delivered the AK.
> 
> She did none of that.  Snape *gazes*.  A gaze is a long, fixed 
> look.  And his eyes don't "glitter" as they usually do when he's 
> discovered something particularly pleasing to him.  
> 
> If this is his ultimate victory--if DD is his nemesis--why not 
> gloat? Why not say "You worthless pathetic old man" as he kills 
> him? That wouldn't offend the Death Eaters, certainly. The killing 
> of DD is distinguished most not by what *is* in there, but what's 
> *not*, and what we would have every right to expect if Snape 
> really did hate DD.  
> 
> Look back at the end of PoA, when Snape discovers Lupin and Black 
> at the Shrieking Shack.  Page 360, to be precise.   Snape truly 
> and deeply hates Black, loathes him with every bone and fiber of 
> his being.  And he is very eager to gloat.
> 
> "Vengeance is very sweet...how I hoped I would be the one to catch 
> you."
  

I think your point about gloating is the most relevant in all the 
speculation about Snape's behavior at this point.  Snape, we have 
seen over and over, is so insecure that his need to be right and his 
need to lord superiority over people is bigger than he is.  How on 
earth could he pass up gloating over *the* most triumphant moment of 
his life--pulling the wool over the eyes of inarguably one of the 
finest wizards in history?  No, the Snape we have seen, the one who 
is childish, petulant, and snide whenever he is challenged by those 
he views less worthy, could never pass up the opportunity to gloat 
over DD's final realization that he'd been had, that Snape was 
smarter, more clever, and more talented than ever DD realized.  No, 
clearly there is more to Snape than what we've been treated to 
through Harry's biased eyes.  How else to account for his 
uncharacteristic reticence at the most glorious moment in his life--
a weak and pleading DD begging Snape for his life?  Uh uh.   That's 
a no go.

desastreuse